BMW 420i Gran Coupe M Sport

The new BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe went on sale in South Africa in November at a starting price of R937,452.

This price tag buys you the entry-level 420i Gran Coupe M Sport.

While the normal two-door 4 Series already enjoys a high specification grade, the Gran Coupes take it a step further with the fitment of the M Sport Model and Deluxe Package as standard.

This option not only provides a sportier look, but brings welcome features that make the car more enjoyable to live with.

Below, we see what you get when spending nearly R1 million on this new BMW.

Standard equipment

The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe is thoroughly equipped with cabin amenities, most notably the BMW Live Cockpit professional package.

This sees a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 10.25-inch infotainment display dominate the dash.

Along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the iDrive infotainment system in the Gran Coupe offers BMW Maps, gesture control, over-the-air software updates, and three months of BMW ConnectedServices for free.

This four-door also gets dual-zone climate control, ambient lighting, an M Leather multifunction steering wheel, keyless entry and start, cruise control with braking function, gearshift paddles, automatic LED lights, daytime running lights, and rain-sensing wipers.

Thanks to the M Sport and Deluxe package, owners are further treated to a sunroof, sports seats, an automatic tailgate, front electric seats with width and lumbar adjustment, M Sport bumpers, 19-inch M Aerodynamic wheels, and Alcantara/Sensatec artificial leather upholstery with blue contrast stitching.

The 420i Gran Coupe is off to a good start.

Practical

Due to its 15mm-longer body compared to the 4 Series Coupe, the Gran Coupe offers more rear passenger legroom, as well as 30 litres of additional cargo space in the boot – totalling 470 litres.

With the rear seats folded down this grows to 1,290 litres – which is another practical benefit of the four-door over the two-door, as the standard Coupe’s rear seats cannot fold.

To make moving the larger car easier, the Gran Coupe offers park assist in addition to all-round parking sensors, too. This helps the 4.78m-long BMW maneuver itself into tight parking spots while you take care of the accelerator and brakes.

Additional active and passive safety systems in the 420i Gran Coupe include driver attentiveness assist, ABS with cornering brake control, dynamic traction control, six airbags, and follow-me-home and welcome light functions.

Performance

The Gran Coupe’s elongated body does not only mean it’s more practical – it also gets a model-specific chassis and tuning to make its drive live up to BMW standards.

Under the shell it features spring dampers optimised for performance and ride comfort, bespoke body struts, an almost completely sealed underbody, and a near 50:50 weight distribution, said BMW.

Additionally, side air curtains and active air flaps on the nose form part of its standard equipment, allowing slats at the bottom and top of the grille to open and close when the engine needs air.

Providing propulsion in this BMW is a 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol engine rated to produce 135kW and 300Nm.

The motor pairs to an eight-speed Sports Steptronic automatic transmission with power delivered to the rear wheels.

The setup allows the 420i Gran Coupe to sprint to 100km/h in 7.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 235km/h, with combined fuel consumption pegged at 6.5l/100km.